How to deal with WFH loneliness proactively

Colleagues – some you love, some you complain about bitterly (and sometimes even throw an eye roll their way) but now that we’ve all been semi/fully working remotely for almost a year, the truth is – you really miss them, toxic colleague included, and strangely enough, even the office politics. 

Where remote work was once a unicorn perk (i.e. the bosses would never let it happen), the Covid-19 pandemic has made working from home an overnight reality for most non-essential workers.

And even though Singapore is in Phase 3, allowing for some to return back to the office, flexible work will remain a permanent part of working life.

At the Singapore Budget 2021, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat stated: “Singapore workers will have to adapt to global trends such as flexible work, remote work and new forms of collaboration that open up the local job market to stiff competition from overseas. At the same time, the work itself will change.”

What this change looks like remains undefined, but going by a US-based Morning Consult survey where 75 per cent of respondents said they would like to work remotely “at least one to two days a week once the pandemic is under control”, a new way of working will be one with less in-person interaction and a reliance on digitalisation and automation.

For some, this detached form of work is ideal (less distractions, no commute needed) but for many, who remember work in a busy office setting surrounded by others, working virtually without peers to banter and brainstorm with may bring about feelings of isolation, and possibly, increased levels of depression and anxiety.

To combat the blurred work-life boundaries and potential feelings of social isolation, the trick lies in being intentional about maintaining the human connection in these unprecedented times. To get the ball rolling and reduce the dreadfulness of WFH (never thought we’d say this!), try the following.

1. Initiate a regular 1:1

Think you have it hard? Try managing a team of remote workers with a flexible workday schedule. If there’s ever been a time to help your manager manage you (and others), this is it.

Making the effort to engage your manager not only shows initiative, but it also helps build a bond of trust and credibility over time.

Replace in-person catch-ups over coffee with short “No Need to Reply” updates to your manager or via an automated, accessible memo like iDoneThis which details your/team members achievements, compiles pretty progress reports and provides a recap of all the team’s happenings. This way, you keep subsequent interactions focused and informative.

2. Explore creative networking opportunities

While you wait for that coveted Clubhouse invite, continue to grow your network by building new relationships while nurturing existing ones. Remote work has made us all much more comfortable with doing everything online, especially networking.

Leverage it meaningfully by joining specific LinkedIn discussion groups, pen thought leadership pieces on Medium, or hit up Discord to curate your own list of topic-based chats and forge connections with like-minded souls.

Aside from keeping you feeling connected, expanding your contact database will bring new career opportunities and space for growth. With your present colleagues, organise catch-ups on a rotation basis over a virtual lunch or coffee break and steer the conversation to focus on long-term relationship building – i.e. anything but work.

3. Keep the fun going

In every team, there’s always the one person who sorts out bubble tea runs or lunch jaunts to the latest cafe. Be this person and keep these social outings going virtually to foster the spirit of camaraderie.

Use fun virtual platforms like Coffee Roulette or organise virtual birthday celebrations via Run The World, a Streaming Party feature so you can stream a special YouTube video greeting or compile a video for everyone to watch.

For regular meetings, introduce ice-breakers or play an online game together like Uno or Houseparty. For a laugh, suggest a work version of Never Have I Ever, you’ll be surprised at what comes out.

4. Re-create your office space

When you spend more than half your waking hours in an office, it is not uncommon to miss your desk and the familiarity it brings.

If you’ve been holding off replicating a proper set-up for your home space, don’t. Aside from the sense of familiarity it’ll bring, re-creating your office set-up will bring strong mental associations which will keep you focused and in “work” mode.

As a finishing touch, check out Sounds Of Colleagues and introduce the sound of the printer or your cubicle buddy’s loud typing to mimic a real-world ambience. It might be just the thing you didn’t know you needed.

5. Give back

Now that you don’t have to deal with the daily commute, devote some of that newfound time towards a worthy cause like Readable which helps needy kids to learn by volunteering your reading and math skills.

If you prefer to keep your outreach work-focused, trade your expertise with a colleague and, similarly, pick up some new skills from him or her. 

Giving back doesn’t just bring on some feel-good emotions – it also increases your feelings of empathy, which we all could do with now.

6. Form a work buddy pod

If you have a colleague who shares the same views around Covid protocols and social distancing, you might consider forming your own Covid pod.

Life, for the most part, may be back to normal but having someone you can work in person with, or swop days entertaining the kids after school will mitigate feelings of loneliness and buy you some uninterrupted time.

Doing this though, will take some upfront conversation about daily habits and honesty about any symptoms of illness or exposure, but with remote work being the future, this might be another way to avoid the WFH isolation.

7. Find a virtual co-work buddy

If a Covid pod is not possible, you can still pair up with a colleague and co-work together once a week. Working in tandem albeit virtually on Skype or Zoom will keep you both accountable and focused on completing certain tasks.

If some guidance is needed, try the Pomodoro Technique so there are proper guidelines about when to work and when to zone out and watch some Netflix together.

8. Introduce activities, not just virtual meetings

Instead of keeping everyone a prisoner on Zoom, suggest a weekly or bi-weekly meeting to take place outdoors. Whether it is organised as a catch-up over coffee or a walking brainstorm around Marina Bay at sunset, it’ll inject variety to everyone’s workday, spark new creative ideas and help fight cabin fever.

9. Talk about it

Feeling the WFH burnout is not something to be ashamed about. Whether you’re the most junior member of the team or the boss, this is an opportunity to display empathy and encourage others to share their vulnerabilities.

Often, we’ve been told to leave our personal matters at home, but now that the home and office are basically the same thing, it is okay to share the struggles you’re facing.

Work on communicating in a balanced, objective manner (no one enjoys an unhinged rant), ask your colleagues open-ended questions to get them to describe what and how they are feeling…  you’ll be surprised at how a simple act of unloading will alleviate stress and forge a closer connection with the rest of your colleagues.

This article was first published in Her World Online.